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RA436  R51 2  Protecting  the  human 


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Protecting 
The  Human  Machine 


A  word  to  employers  and  others 

on  the  steadily  increasing  waste  of 

health,    efficiency    and    life    from 

organic  diseases. 


From  an  Address  delivered  before 

THE  BOARD  OF  TRADE 

Washington,  D.  C, 

April  27,  1915 


By 

E.  E.  Rittenhouse,  President 

LIFE  EXTENSION   INSTITUTE,  Inc. 

25  West  45th  Street 
New   York 


'X: 


Protecting  the  Human  Machine 


Condensed  from  an  address  before  the  Board  of 

Trade    of    Washington,    D.    C,   delivered    by 

President    E.    E.     Rittenhouse,     of    the     Life 

Extension  Institute,  on  April  27,  1915. 


Evidence  fonnd  in  the  mortality  records  indicates  a 
marked  decline  in  the  poAver  of  American  workers  to  with- 
stand the  strain  of  modern  life. 

In  the  natural  order  of  things,  the  human  machine  will 
wear  out  and  life  must  end.  But  why  should  Americans 
wear  out  sooner,  now,  than  they  did  a  few  years  ago?  Why 
have  the  chances  of  early  death  after  reaching  the  prime 
of  life  increased  ? 

How  do  we  know  that  this  has  happened?  Because  of 
the  extraoi  dinarj'-  increase  in  the  death  rate  from  the  break- 
ing down  of  the  heart,  arteries,  kidneys,  and  of  the  nervous 
and  digestive  systems. 

These  are  the  diseases  of  old  age.  They  are  reaching 
down  into  middle  life  and  below,  and  increasing  there,  and 
apparently  at  all  ages. 

These  slowly  developing  afflictions  are  not  only  reduc- 
ing the  working,  productive  period  of  life  but  they  are 
lowering  the  working  capacity  of  the  individual  often  before 
he  realizes  it,  or  recognizes  the  cause.  They  are  responsible 
for  accidents,  for  damaged  machines,  spoiled  goods,  and 
other  costly  errors.  They  are  the  concealed  enemies  of 
alertness,  accuracy  and  efificiency.  Therefore,  every  em- 
ployer, small  or  large,  is  financially  concerned  in  checking 
the  ravages  of  this  steadily  advancing  enemy. 

An  idea  of  the  magnitude  of  this  waste  can  be  gained 
from  the  fact  that  about  410,000  American  lives  are  annually 
destroyed  by  these  old  age  diseases,  as  follows : 

Under  age  40 60,000 

Age  40  to  60 105,000 

Above  age  60 245,000 

410,000 
2 


Virtually  all  these  deaths  belong  in  the  group  above 
age  60.  The  loss  of  fully  eightj^  per  cent,  of  these  lives 
could  be  postponed  from  a  few  days  to  several  years  if 
these  diseases  were  discovered  in  their  incipiency,  and  the 
doctor  given  a  chance  to  treat  them  in  time. 

In  three  decades  the  records  show  that  the  mortality 
from  these  diseases  has  nearly  douMed. 

In  the  short  period  of  ten  years,  the  census  shows  that 
the  death  rate  from  these  diseases  of  degeneration  increased 
in  a  group  of  over  5,000,0000  occupied  males  as  follows: 

OCCUPIED   MALES 
INCREASES-DECREASES    FROM   CERTAIN 


DEATH  RATE 

PER    100.000              UISEASCS         ]90Q  QV£p  ,890 

LEI.  INC 

40- 
30- 
20- 
10- 

I89( 
10 
20 
30 
40 

APOPLEXY - 
NERVOUS 
SYSTEM 

HEART 

KIDNEY 
URINARY 

LIVER 

S 

DIGESTION 

TYPHOID 

TUBERCU- 
LOSIS 

PNEUMONIA 

INCREASES 

1 

DECR 

:ases 

30.8 

38 

43 

aas 

S             j           43           1           4i 

(See  above  chart)  JNC  REASE 

Rate  Per  cent. 

Apoplexy  and  Nervous  system.  .....    30.6  19 

Heart 38.  29 

Kidney  and  Urinary  system.  ......  .    43,  43 

Liver  and  Digestive  system 22.5  34 

The  same  story  of  the  declining  power  of  the  American 
people  to  resist  diseases  of  the  vital  organs  is  told  by  the 
statistics  in  the  general  population  wherever  comparisons 
can  be  had. 

3 


The  same  record  shows  that  the  nrortality  rate  has 
declined  from  the  importarrt  communicable  diseases, 
typhoid,  tuberculosis,  etc.,  against  which  an  active  war  has 
been  waged. 

Is  there  any  soirnd  reason  why  employers,  arrd  social 
and  religioirs  leaders,  who  have  large  bodies  of  people  under 
their  control  or  influence,  should  longer  ignore  this  erremy, 
which  is  making  such  a  successful  raid  on  American  vitality  ? 

Millions  of  Americans  are  now  afflicted  with  various 
diseases  in  the  incipient  form.  This  is  to  be  expected,  for 
all  diseases  mrrst  have  a  start,  aird  the  most  of  them  develop 
slowly.  It  is  during  this  period,  wheir  sickness  is  approach- 
ing without  the  victim's  knowledge,  that  periodic  physical  ex- 
aminations perform  their  greatest  service. 

The  Life  Exterrsion  Institute  has  giverr  thoiough 
physical  examinations  to  a  large  number  of  officials,  clerks, 
and  other  employes  of  ba]rks  and  commercial  houses — the 
average  age  being  thirty  years.    Note  the  result. 

CONDITIONS  IN  A  PREFERRED  GROUP  OF 

F^.TPT.OYSS. 


PERCENTAGE      IMPAIRMENTS 

NORMAL 

EMPLOYES      GOM'L.     HOUSES 

3 

MINOR 

PREVENTABLE 

38 

STAGE 

MODERATE 
SI 

b 

OR 
STAGE 

1      !         il 

111      ^u 

(0   CO 

SERIOUS 

8 

^  u 

O  b. 

U 

a 

L.E.I.    INC. 

This  experience  is  of  especial  interest  because  tliese 
people  would  naturally  be  looked  upon  as  a  preferred  class, 
so  far  as  health  hazard  is  concerned.  They  were  an  orderly, 
temperate  and  well-nourished  group. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  these  examinations  were 
made  of  apparently  well  people  who  were  on  their  feet  and 
at  work.  The  purpose  was  not  merely  to  find  disease,  but 
to  report  the  physical  condition  of  each  individual,  which 
includes  physical  defects  and  tendencies  that  lead  to  disease, 
as  well  as  actrral  health  impairments  ranging  from  the 
iircipient  to  the  serious  forms. 

3^°   passed  as  normal. 

389^  were  found  with  minor  impairments  or  tendencies 
indicating  the  possible  early  approach  of  disease, 
which,  with  proper  attention,  could  be  headed  off, 
and  these  people  were  advised  accordingly. 

51 9^"  had  from  moderate  to  serious  impairments  needing 
medical  treatment  or  supervision. 

S^°  were  seriously  impaired,  needing  immediate  medical 
attention.  The  entire  599^°  were  sent  to  their  doctors 
for  treatment  or  guidance. 

Now  here  are  two  significant  facts  relating  to  these 
people.  Virtually  all  of  the  59  impaired  cases  irr  each  one 
hundred  were  either  cirrable  or  serious  results  postponable — 
the  most  of  them  for  marry  years.  Over  90  per  cent,  of  this 
class  did  not  know  of  their  darrger. 

Naturally,  those  in  the  minor  class  are  steadily  dropping 
into  the  moderate  class,  arrd  those  from  the  moderate  class 
are  passing  into  the  serious  class,  and  from  the  serious  class 
to  invalidism  and — the  end.  Now  the  question :  Why 
should  we  in  this  age  permit  ourselves  and  our  employes  to 
continue  this  habit  of  drifting  blindly  into  fatal  illness? 

Is  it  not  perfectly  obvious  that  by  giving  these  people 
periodic  health  examinations  and  hygienic  advice  and 
guidance  in  the  habits  of  life,  the  annual  sick  and  death  list 
in  this  group  will  be  reduced? 

Let  us  for  a  moment  compare  the  human  organism 
with  the  machinery  of  a  locomotive. 


THE  LOCOMOTIVE  AND  THE  HUMAN  MOTOR. 

Accidents  to  the  locomotive  correspond  to  the  germ 
diseases,  which  are  really  accidents,  and  in  time  will  donbt- 
less  all  be  prevented. 

In  the  wear  and  tear  of  the  valves,  boiler  tubes,  cyl- 
inders, bearings  and  other  vital  parts  of  the  locomotive  we 
have  organic  diseases — the  diseases  of  degene  ation,  for  the 
life  of  the  locomotive,  like  that  of  man,  is  detei  mined  by 
the  strain  which  is  put  upon  its  hardest  worked  parts. 

There  are  tAvo  general  causes  for  shortening  the  life 
of  a  locomotive  which  also  apply  to  the  human  machine. 
If  it  is  originally  defective  or  structurally  weak,  the  stress 
of  service  soon  puts  it  out  of  commission.  If  its  machinery 
is  not  properly  cared  for,  it  will  soon  go  to  the  scrap  heap. 

But  we  treat  this  machine  of  metal  better  than  we  do 
the  human  machine;  every  bearing,  every  point  of  friction 
and  strain  is  carefully  watched.  The  engineer  and  lireman 
are  constantly  inspecting  the  vital  parts,  and  they  are  ever 
on  the  alert  for  the  slightest  change  in  the  normal  sound 
of  its  working,  which  to  them  would  mean  that  something 
was  out  of  adjustment.  In  this  event,  they  promptly  pro- 
ceed to  correct  it  before  damage  is  done.  The  vitals  of  the 
locomotive  are  not  only  thoroughly  inspected  at  the  end  of 
each  run,  but  every  so  often  it  has  a  general  overhauling. 

In  running  the  human  machine,  we  take  no  such 
precautions 

We  feed  it  too  much  or  too  little  fuel;  we  overstrain 
its  valves,  tubes  (arteries),  and  its  vital  parts  generally  by 
making  it  carry  a  heavier  load  than  it  should,  and  by  ex- 
cesses of  various  kinds.  We  give  little  heed  to  adjusting 
our  food  to  the  needs  of  the  body,  and  to  the  proper  disposal 
of  po>sons  and  waste. 

Tlje  fact  that  the  heart,  arteries  and  kidneys  are  among 
the  ves  y  important  organs  that  never  rest,  does  not  impress 
us.  We  know  that  they  toil  night  and  day;  that  they 
were  woiking  when  we  came  into  the  world,  and  that  their 
task  js  ^'ontinn^nv'  mTtil  we  leave  it.  Common  sense  tells 
us  that  the  strain  upon  these  vital  organs  is  excessive,  and 
that  thev  should  have  the  best  of  care. 


INSPECTION  IGNORED. 

But  instead  of  having  tliis  delicate  and  complex  ma- 
chine of  ours  professionally  inspected  from  time  to  time, 
to  head  off  trouble  in  its  early  development,  we  wait  until 
by  overstrain  or  neglect  some  valve  or  tube,  or  other  im- 
portant organ  is  injured.  Then  we  loudly  clamor  for  the 
doctor  to  repair  and  restore  this  machine,  which  has  been 
damaged  and  perhaps  ruined  beyond  hope. 

This  stupid  and  perverse  practice  of  ignoring  the 
jossibility  of  sickness  until  stricken  with  it  is  costing  the 
American  nation  about  900,000  premature  deaths  every 
year,  and  an  enormous  amount  of  needless  sickness,  for  all 
of  these  deaths  can  be  postponed  from  a  short  period  to 
seveial  years,  if  the  causes  are  detected  and  treated  in  time. 

This  is  one  of  the  deadly  habits  of  humanity  which 
the  Life  Extension  Institute  is  trying  to  induce  people  to 
abandon.  In  fact,  it  has  already  caused  very  many  people 
to  do  so. 

Why  should  not  you  and  every  sane  person  subscribe 
to  and  observe  this  pledge: 

I  want  to  know  how  to  live  a  healthful  life  and  to 
do  it  naturally,  without  worry  or  care.  I  shall,  therefore, 
learn  and  try  to  observe  the  rules  of  personal  hygiene,  — 
which  means  the  proper  care  of  the  body  and  its 
organs.  I  also  pledge  myself  to  have  periodic  health 
examinations  to  locate  any  health  impairments  in  their 
incipiency  when  they  will  respond  to  corrective  measures 
or  treatment. 

If  we  are  as  highly  ci\ilized  as  we  think  we  are,  if  we 
want  to  conserve  our  health  and  lives  as  we  pretend  we  do, 
why  should  we  not  at  once  adopt  this  very  sensible  course? 

Every  employer  has  it  Avithin  his  power  to  upbuild 
the  health,  efficiency  and  lia|;};iness  of  his  employes  by  giv- 
ing them  periodic  health  examinations  and  educational 
literature  on  personal  hygiene  or  healthful  living.  By  this 
means  he  not  only  serves  liis  own  interest,  but  he  performs 
a  gieat  human  service,  and  becomes  an  effective  and  important 
factor  in  the  patriotic  and  humane  movement  to  upbuild 
Ameiican  vitality  and  make  life  not  merely  longer,  but  hap- 
P'ier  and  more  useful. 


PURPOSE  OF  THE  INSTITUTE. 

The  increasiug  waste  of  vitality  and  health  among 
workers  and  others  from  organic  disease  emphasizes 
the  need  of  the  public  service  which  the  Life  Exten- 
sion Institute,  Inc.,  is  organized  to  perform. 

This  service  consists  of  supplying  employers  for 
their  employes  (and  other  groups,  as  well  as  individ- 
ual applicants),  with  periodic  physical  examinations 
and  monthly  educational  letters  on  personal  hygiene. 
Reports  are  made  to  the  employe,  and  to  his  doctor 
and  his  employer  if  desired. 

The  Institute  is  counselled  by  a  Hygiene  Reference 
Board  of  nearly  100  authorities  in  the  various  fields 
of  health  and  life  conservation.  The  Chairman  of 
this  Board  is  Professor  Irving  Fisher,  of  Yale  Uni- 
versity; the  Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Directors  is 
former  President  Wm.  H.  Taft,  and  General  Wm.  C. 
Gorgas  is  Consultant  on  Sanitation. 

These,  and  other  scientists,  publicists  and  business 
men  Avho  organized  the  Institute,  designed  it  as  a 
self-supporting  public  service  institution.  Hence 
the  charges  are  moderate. 

The  service  is  comprehensive,  scientific  and  effect- 
ive, and  extends  tliroughout  the  country.  Partic- 
ulars furnished  on  application. 


LIFE  EXTENSION  INSTITUTE,  INC., 

25  West  45th  Street,  N.  Y.  C. 


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